Line throwing device



April 14, 1970 A. M. JOHNSON LINE THROWING DEVICE .4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 9, 1968 IN VE NTOR APT/V1? flf 744/054/ BY semmesandsemmes ATTORNEYS April 14, 1970 A. M. JOHNSON 3,505,926

LINE THROWING DEVICE Filed July 9, 19 .4 sheets-Sheet 2 .w F/a a g 2! INV EN TOR fl/P/V/fl'fi A! Jaw $0M BY semmesandsemmes' ATTORNEYS April 14, 1970 A. M. JOHNSON LINE THROWING DEVICE .4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 9, 1968 F/& d

INVENTOR fair/4m n1 Jaw 5m BY semmesandsemms ATTORNEYS W 14, 1979 A. M. JOHNSON 3,505,926

LINE THROWING DEVICE Filed July 9, 1968 .4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR v BY semmesandsemmes' ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,505,926 LINE THROWING DEVICE Arthur M. Johnson, Silver Spring, Md., assignor to Scientific Products Corp., Alexandria, Va., a corporation of Virginia Filed July 9, 1968, Ser. No. 743,446 Int. Cl. F41!) 3/00; F41t 1/00 U.S. Cl. 891 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Projectile throwing devices, particularly a blank cartridge fired device for throwing a projectile and attached line to a distant point.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION An improvement and modification of the inventors earlier obtained Patent No. 3,004,360, entitled Target Projecting Device Utilizing A Can and a Blank Cartridge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention A blank cartridge-fired device for throwing a line and buoyant projectile in water, mountain, apartment house fire and like rescue situations, as well as in non-rescue situations such as throwing lines over streams, trees, gorges, rivers, roofs, from ship-toship, up chimneys and the like. The device may also be used to cast fish lines and lures and bait from a standard spinning reel and fishing rod.

Description of the prior art SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, the line throwing device consists of a housing having a seat for supporting a buoyant, cored projectile and a seat for supporting a Wound line. A gas dispersing duct is supported in the seat so that the muzzle end is open to the interior of the pro jectile and a breech end is supported adjacent a firing pin assembly which is pivoted beneath the breech. A blank cartridge such as .22 calibre is positioned in the breech, the firing pin assembly is pivoted shut and the firing pin is actuated by axial pulling against a compression spring, then releasing. As the pin is released, the cartridge is fired and the compressed gas is dispersed through duct muzzle and interiorly of the projectile. As a result, the projectile is thrown up to 100 yards or more, carrying the line with it. A critical feature of the invention is sealing exteriorly of the muzzle within the projectile core, so as to gain maximum thrust of the blank cartridge dispersed gas. Modifications of invention include the provision of an arm extension for firing of the device from the shoulder.

both projectile 32 and line 30 with pivoted handle 20 having firing pin knob 118 extending axially;

3,565,926 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective showing use of the device in throwing a line from a rescuing vessel to a distressed vessel;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section of the device;

FIG. 4 is a top plan;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section of the projectile, showin a wire clasp 44 for connection to the line;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section taken along section line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8.is an enlarged vertical section on the order of FIG. 3, showing the handle and tiring pin pivoted away from the breech, loaded with .22 calibre blank cartridge 66;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the modified rifle arm assembly showing shoulder firing extension piece 126 and 130;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary and enlarged vertical section of the fore end of the device illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary top plan;

FIG. 12 is a vertical section taken along section line 12-12 of FIG. 11 and showing securement of the extension to pivoted handle 26; and

FIG. 13 is a vertical section taken along section line 1313 of FIG. 10 and showing the trigger mounting.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1 the line throwing device is illustrated as comprising power handle 20 pivoted to housing 22 which supports line stowage bin 34 and resilient projectile 32. An end cap 28 with foam cushion 50 may be provided for access to stowage bin 34. Firing pin 106 is supported axially of handle 20 and extends out the handle butt 167 by means of knob 118.

In FIG. 3 housing 22 is shown as secured to circular base 52 by means of machine screws 54. Nylon or like interiorly wound line 30 resting upon resilient or foamlike base 50 extends through hole 36 and is tied to wire clasp 44.

The projectile or missile 32 includes an interior core 0* female element 33 defined by inner sleeve 42 which is outwardly flanged as at 46 to enhance positioning of the missile on barrel 43. Missile 32 may be manufactured from Koroseal (trademark B. F. Goodrich) plastic with a luminescent exterior to enhance nightime use of the device.

Base 52 includes inwardly inclined shoulders 56 defining an annular projectile receiving recess 58. Barrel 43 includes gas dispersing duct 60 having a radially extending muzzle 62 at one end and a breech 65 at its other end, including a recess 67 for supporting the cartridge 66 rim in firing position opposite firing pin tip 106. O-ring 64 is mounted exteriorly of barrel 43 intermediate muzzle 62 and breech 65, so as to seal gas dispersed from the cartridge 66 within expansion. chamber 93 interiorly of projectile 32.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 base 52 may be cast so as to provide a downwardly extending fiange 68, defining opposed pairs of mounting ears 70 and 72, having pivoting pins 74 and 76 set therein. Locking lever 26,

which may be provided with vinyl or like covering '84, is pivoted about pin 74 mounted in ears 70 and permits opening of the breech and pivoting of handle 20 to the position shown in FIG. 8. Ears 72 pivotably support cartridge ejection assembly 80 and handle collar 96 by means of pin 76. As handle 20 is pivoted to the position shown at FIG. 8 collar limit edge engages cam assembly portion 88 pivoting ejection assembly 80. Consequently, cartridge ejection seat 86 engages the cartridge 66 rim, removing the cartridge rim axially away from the breech seat annulus 94 so that the cartridge falls from the duct.

This enables reloading. The device cannot be fired in the position shown in FIG. 8 and can only be fired when the firing pin assembly 106 is positioned in axial alignment with cartridge 66 in the locked position shown in FIG. 3. Then both hands are required to fire the device. A compression spring 110 may be positioned in seat 114 within collar 96 so as to enhance the safety factor, pushing the firing pin tip 107 away from the breech, except as the device is deliberately locked by handle 26.

Handle 20 including hand grips or like serrations may be mounted about sleeve 123 which is secured inwardly of collar 96 by means of bushing 116. A compression spring 110 may be supported around firing pin 106 within sleeve 123 and by means of bearing washer 166. The firing pin assembly includes a handle butt end triggering knob 118 having axial recess 120 for supporting lnrlr washer 124.

As illustrate in FIGS. 1, 3 and 8 the cartridge ejector assembly 80 may include at its exterior end a notch 82 for cutting line 30 upon completion of the shot.

The device cannot accidentally fire the loaded blank cartridge. The use of two hands are required to hold the device and simultaneously pull triggering knob 118. The device will not fire from dropping. Also, an additional safety feature inheres in protected dispensing of the cartridge wad into projectile chamber 93.

In the modification illustrated in FIGS. 9-13 the arm extension 126 includes a reciprocable hand piece 128 which supports trigger mount 154, having upstanding ears 156 pivotably mounting trigger 162 by means of pin 8. Trigger 162 has at its forward end aperture 160 enabling grasping of knob 118, as illustrated in the cocking position shown in FIG. 13.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the hand piece 128 is then pulled toward the shoulder extension 130 piece and T-bar 132, which abuts the shoulder. This action cocks firing pin 106. Then upon depression of the trigger 162 against compression spring 164, knob 118 is released, thus firing the device. In this modified arrangement handle is supported in arm extension 126 by means of resilient clamp 140, stove bolt 148 and wing nut 146. The trigger assembly 154 is secured to the hand piece by means of stove bolts 160 extending through aperture 161 in the rifle arm extension 126. Detent 150 actuated by compression spring 152 may be provided in that portion of shoulder piece 130 which is coaxially supported inwardly of rifle arm extension 126, locking in aperture 151 thereof.

The basic device illustrated in FIGS. 1-8 may be operated as follows:

INSTRUCTIONS FOR LOADING AND FIRING (1) Place spool of line in the line housing. Thread the line through the opening in the front of the cannister.

(2) Tie a cinch knot, as illustrated, leaving a loop of approximately 4 inches diameter. Put the loop through the wire clasp on the rear of the missile, then over the tip, and draw the loop up tight on the wire clasp.

(3) Place missile over the barrel, making sure it is firmly seated and the line is free.

(4) Open the breech. Insert the proper load. Close the breech making certain the latch is firmly locked in place.

(5) Hold the handle and latch firmly in one hand. Point at or over the target area. With other hand, pull back and release the spring loaded firing pin.

(6) After each shot, cut the line on the built-in line cutter, and reload for the next shot.

Manifestly, the housing, handle, missile, and firing devices may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope of invention, as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A line throwing device comprising:

(A) a base including a missile seat and a line stowage chamber;

(B) a handle with firing pin assembly pivoted against said base and including:

(i) a spring-urged axial firing pin extensible through said handle so as to fire said cartridge, and

(ii) a manually clasped firing pin knob secured to said firing pin and supported outwardly of the butt of said handle;

(C) a gas dispersing duct extending through said missile seat, so as to engage the interior of a missile mounted upon said seat at its outer end and to support a gas generating cartridge adjacent said firing pin at its inner end, including:

(i) a breech encompassing said duct at its inner firing end, and

(ii) a shell ejector pivoted in said breech, so as to engage the rim of a shell supported for firing in said duct and to eject said shell axially outwardly of said duct upon pivoting of said handle with respect to said housing;

(D) a projectile having a female element supported upon said duct and within said projectile seat; and

(E) a recovery line supported in said line stowage chamber and attached to said projectile.

2. A line throwing device as in claim 1, including a line cutter element mounted in said housing.

3. A line throwing device as in claim 1, said gas dispersing duct including:

(i) a cartridge rim annulus for seating a cartridge in axial alignment with said firing pin at the breech end, and

(ii) an exteriorly mounted O-ring positioned intermediate the duct nozzle and said breech so as to define a sealed gas expansion chamber within said projectile female element.

4. A line throwing device as in claim 1, including:

(F) an arm extension piece attachable at one end to said handle and firing pin assembly and having a reciprocable hand piece with a trigger pivoted, so as to engage said firing pin knob.

5. A line throwing device as in claim 4, including:

(A) a shoulder piece detachably mounted upon the butt end of said arm extension piece.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,307,594 6/1919 Newman 4272 2,952,209 9/1960 Blanchard 10289 X 3,004,360 10/1961 Johnson 42--1.2 3,326,082 6/1967 Johnson et al 89l FOREIGN PATENTS 11,201 1903 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Remington Blank Cartridge Powered Line Thrower, pp. 1 and 2, NRA Convention, Mar. 30, 1965.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner 

